Locomotive step



April 26, 1932. P. F. CUNNINGHAM 1,855,442

- v LOCOMOTIVE STEP Filed Jan. 6, 1950 Patented Apr. 26, 1932 UNITED STATES PATRICK F. CUNNINGHAM, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS LOCOMOTIVE STEP Application filed January 6, 1930. Serial No. 418,782.

The present invention relates to a step to be used on locomotives or locomotive tenders and is particularly adapted for use with locomotives used in switching. Locomotives for switching are usually provided with a step at the forward end thereof, and also a step on the tender to enable the brakeman to get on and off the locomotive when desired. Such steps usually are arranged so that the platform or step proper is in close proximity to the rails on which the locomotive is mounted so that it is not necessary for the brake- Inan to step very high in order to get on the step.

With such an arrangement generally the platform is close enough to the rail so that if the locomotive should jump the track the platform or a support therefor is struck by the rail, and due to the fact that the step is usually rigidly mounted on the locomotive or tender, the same is broken or very badly damaged. v

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an arrangement whereby this plati form or support, when struck by the rail, will shift vertically, and particularly to provide the platform with a re-enforcing blade which is adapted ,to contact with the rail when the locomotive jumps the track, and which re- 3 enforcing blade is constructed and arranged so as to distribute the vertical stresses due to the contact with the rail, partially to the means on which the platform is mounted rather than to the platform itself, thereby preventing or partially preventing damage to the platform.

Yet another object of my invention resides in the construction of such a re-enforcing blade whereby it forms part of the pivotal 40 mounting for the platform. A

Another object of this invention is to provide a step which has a reinforcing means for the platform, this reinforcing means acting also as a rail engaging member against which the rail strikes when the locomotive jumps the track.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a combined rail engaging member and pivotal mounting for the platform.

Another object of this invention is to provide a locomotive step having a pair'of vertically movable supports each of which has a pivotal connection with the platform of the step so as to enable either end of the platform Vto move vertically without damaging the step or without causing the other of said supports to move in a vertical direction.

Other objects of this invention willV appear hereinafter as the description of this invention proceeds.

Fig. 4 is an isometric View of the plate which forms part of the pivotal connection andwhich also acts as a rail engaging member, thev isometric view being one looking at this part from the platform engaging side thereof.

In my prior patent Serial No. 1,409,677, patented March 14, 1922, I show a locomotive step mounted for vertical movement, and my present invention relates to anpimprovement of the form of step shown in that patent.

The part 1 represents a beam which may be the beam mounted on the end of a locomotive or locomotive tender. This beam constitutes the support for the locomotive step, but of course it will be understood that any form of support which may be desired, may be used without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. Mounted on the beam 1, are a pair of brackets 2, each of which is substantially U-shaped in cross-section, so that when the legs of this U-shaped bracket are secured to the beam 1 by means of the lag screws 3 or the like, a longitudinal recess is formed Afor the reception of the supporting members 4 which have a sliding fit within said recess as is best illustrated in Fig. "2. The supports 4 are permitted to have vertical sliding movement within the recess, but the downward movement of thesupports is limited by lugs 5 extending outwardly over the bracket 2 and formed as integral parts of the supports 4.

The lower end of each of the brackets is provided with an outwardly extending portion 5 forming supports for the platform 6 which is secured to the supports 4 by means of the bolts 7 which extend through the platform 6 substantially parallel to the outwardly extending portion 5 and pass through the vertically arranged portion of the support 4 at a point adjacent'. the junction of the vertically arranged portion and the outwardly lextending portion. In this manner' the' platform G is constrainedv to move with the support 4 but is pivotally connected therewith so .as to permit one of said supports to move vertically while the other of said supports is held in a relatively stationary position.

In my prior patent I have shown a plate which is adapted to be secured to the platform and which is also adaptedto engage the rail whenthe-'l'ocomotive jumps the track. With the arrangement shown in my prior patent howe-ver,'most of theupward stress exerted on the rail engaging plate is transmitted to the platform which usually is constructed of wood and is therefore more apt to break than the supporting members which are usually constructed of wrought iron or steel.

My present invention however, contem- .plates distributing the vertical stress exerted on the rail engaging plate at least partially tov the supports for the platform rather than distributing the entire stress on the platform itself.

Inorder to accomplish this last mentioned result, I provide brackets 9 which are secured by means of the screws 10 to the underside of the platform 6, the said screws passing` through suitable openings in the lugs 11 formed integral with the brackets 9. The brackets are provided with recesses 12 which receive the laterally extending portions 5 in the manner best illustrated in Fig. 2. The brackets 9 arel also provided with upstanding ribs 13 adapted to enga-ge the underside of the `outwardly extending portions 5, and this ribk provides the bearing surface aga-inst which the portions 5 bear and which permit relative rocking movement between the member 9 and the outwardly extending portions 5. Pins 14 extend upwardly through the ribs 13 and. are arranged within. the recesses 15 formed in the outwardly extending portions 5 so as to prevent any substantial shift-ing move ment of the outwardly extending portions 5 relative to the ribs 13. The openings l5 are enough larger than the pins 14 so as to not interfere with rocking ino-vement of the portions 5 relatively to the ribs 13. The brackets '9 are of a substantial length and extend over a substantial portion of the underside of the platform as is best illustrated in Fig. 1, it Vbeing understood that the brackets 9 are ar- `posed portions of the supports.

ranged over the opposite rails of a track on which the locomotive runs. The length of the brackets 9 is sufhcient to insure that when the locomotive jumps the track, the first impactof the rail will be taken up by the bracket 9 and be distributed partly to the platform but mostly to the supports, thereby lessening the possibility of damaging the platform 6. lf desired, the brackets 9 may extend entirely across the underside of the platform (i, or the two brackets 9 could be combined as a single bracket with a. plurality of recesses such as Vrecesses 12 for receiving the outwardly extending portions 5 of the supports 4. As shown a small amount of clearance is provided between the outwardly extending portion 5 and the adjacent portions of the platform 6, and the ribs 13, to permit the pivotal movement just described although it will be understood for practical purposes this clearance need be only a small amount since the amount of vertical movement imparted to the supports 4 when the locomotive jumps the track is generally not any more than the height of the rail itself, the wheels of the locomotive generally being stopped in their downward` movement by the ties which support the rails of the track.

The supports 4 also carry a toe-board 8 by means of the bolts 16 extending` through the toe-board and through the vertically dis- Preferably only a single bolt is used to fasten the toeboard on each support so as to provide a pivotal connection which will permit rocking movement between the toe-board and the supports when v-ertical movement is imparted to one support and not the other, or in the event that one supportis given more of a vertical movement than the other of the supports. While the supports 4 have a relatively snug iitin the brackets 2, a small amount of elearance is permitted between the edges of the supports 4 and adjacent legs of the U-shaped bracket to permit lateral movement relatively to the brackets 2 in the direction of the length of the beam 1. This movement is for the purpose of compensating for thevh orizontal reduction of the distance between the bolts 7 as one of the supports is moved vertically relatively to the other of the supports.

It will be noted that the brackets 9 have hollow curved portions 17 and 18 which provide a very strong bracket without material increase in weight, it being well understood that the curved surface tends to make the bracket more rigid than would a fiat bar such as' used in the device shown in my prior patent referred to above, and while do not wish to limit my invention to this construction, it is to be understood that this form of my invention is preferred to a bracket having a section somewhat similar to the section shown. in my prior patent.

The device is usually supported on the ings by the beam l. 4jumps the track, :the locomotive drops a certain amount and usually this amount is limited by the ties which are the first objects to be cross-beam mounted at the end` of a locomotive, this beam being represented in the draw- When the locomotive engaged by the wheels of the locomotive.

owever, since the platform is generally arranged very close to the upper surface of the rail, even this comparatively small drop ofthe locomotive brings the brackets 9 into engagement with the rails and the force exerted by the rails against the brackets tends to move the supports l vertically in case both of the brackets 9 are engaged. If only one of the brackets is engaged by the adjacent rail, then of course its respective support is moved vertically unless there is a sufficient force exerted on the bracket to transmit some of the vertical movement through the platform to the other of the supports. If only one of the brackets 9 are engaged, the platform will be moved into an inclined position such as shownin the dotted lines in Fig. l, and no substantial damage will be done tothe locomotive step.

Therefore, when'the locomotive is again Vplaced on the track, the step will drop to its full line position or may be readily moved to this position by a small amount of downward pressure exerted on the platform such as the pressure which would be exerted by a brakeman as he stepped on to the platform. While the construction of the device is such as to permit relative rocking movement between the supports therefor and the platform 6, the arrangement is such as to give a substantially rigid support for the locomotive step so as not to make the step unsafe for use as obviously the device must be fairly rigid in order that the same will not move about to any great extent, thereby endangering the lives of persons using this device. i

A great number of times when a locomotive jumps the track only one end thereof leaves the rails and in practically all instances one end of the locomotive leaves the rails first. In such cases the locomotive and also the platform of the step are tilted relatively to the horizontal and where no protecting bracket is used Vunder the platform the forward edge of the platform usually engages the rail first,` and the friction between the wooden platform andthe rail, due to the weight of the locomotive, causes the platform to drag and bend the supports backwardly in under the locomotive. With my device however, the brackets 9 engages the rail first even when the locomotive or platform is tilted, provided the tilting isnt any greater than that Vwhich would normally occur, and as a result, these brackets preventl any damage from being done to the wooden platform as the brackets slide along the rails and there is not sutlicient friction developed to cause bending of the supports. In addition the brackets yield upwardly and thus tend to reduce the friction between the brackets and the rails.

Obviously the step could be one which is supported over one rail instead of two `rails and both of the recesses 12 could be formed in a single bracket and the supports 4 could be arranged on opposite sides of the rail substantially in the manner illustrated in my aforesaid patent. Of course, this construction would possess many advantages over the .y l

herein.

Having thus fully disclosed an embodiment of my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is l. In a locomotive step, theV combination with a support, of a member slidably mounted on said support, a platform supported by said member and having movement relatively thereto, and a reinforcing strip disposed under said platform and adapted to be nearest the rail when the step is in use, said reinforcing member forming part of the connection between the slidably mounted member and the platform.

2. In a locomotive step the combination with a support of a member slidably mounted on said support, of a platform supported by said member, and a reinforcing member on said platform adapted to prevent breakage of said platform when a locomotive to which the step is attached jumps the track, said reinforcing member being adapted to transmit the force of the blow of the rail against said reinforcing member directly to the member which is slidably mounted on the support.

3. In a step for locomotives, the combination with a beam, of a supporting member -movably mounted on said beam for movement towards and away from said beam, a platform, a pivotal connection between said platform and supporting member, anda reinforcing member forming part of said pivotal connection adapted to engage a rail of a track upon which the locomotive is adapted te travel, in the event that the locomotive jumps the track. V

4. A locomotive step comprising guides, supporting members having portions disposed within said guides, substantially rigid members having bearing surfaces thereon, and a platform to which said rigid members are att-ached, Vsaid rigid members having portions spaced from said platform to provide recesses for receiving portions of said llt supporting members and extensions on said rigid members for engaging a rail adjacent said step.

5. The combination with a beam adapted to be mounted on a locomotive, of a platform, means for movably mounting said platform for movement towards and away from said beam, and a plate disposed below Vthe platform adjacent a rail on which the locomotive travels for contact with said rail, said plate being constructed and arranged to distribute the vertical stress incident to the contact of the platform and rail directly to the mounting for the platform.

6. The combination with a beam adapted to be mounted on a locomotive, of a pla-tform means for mounting said platform on said beam for movement towards and away from said beam, and a plate on said plat* form on the side thereof adjacent a rail on which the locomotive travels, and disposed beneath said platform and beneath its mounting and co-operating with its mounting, said plate extending a substantial distance across the underside of said platform` in a direction at substantially right angles to the direction in which the locomotive travels.

7. In a locomotive step, the combination of a platform pivotally mounted on supports having vertical movement relatively to the locomotive to which the step is attached, and a plate forming part -of said pivotal connection and extending a substantial distance across the bottom of said platform in a position to engage a rail in the event that the locomotive jumps the track.

8. In a locomotive step, the combination with a platform, of a support for said platform movably mounted with respect thereto, and a rail engaging plate on said platform having a recess therein adapted to receive said supporting member, said plate being adapted to have pivotal engagement with said supporting member.

9. In a locomotive step, the combination with a platform, of a pair of supports for said platform, reinforcing means arranged along the underside of said platform, recesses in said reinforcing means adapted to receive said supports, and bearing surfaces in said recess and on said supporting members adapt ed to have engagement with each other to permit pivotal movement of said support relatively to said reinforcing means and said platform.

10. A locomotive step comprising a platform, supports for said platform, an integral bearing plate and pivotal engaging means for engaging said supports, andmeans for connecting said support and platform.

11. A step comprising a platform, a supporting member for said platform, reinforcing means for said platform, a pivotal connection between said platform and said supporting member, and a bearing surface on said reinforcing member adapted to engage said supporting member.

12. A locomotive step comprising substantially U-shaped members secured to a support, members slidably mounted in said U- shaped members and guided thereby, angular extensions on said members, a platform, ar ranged over said angular extensions, a pivot-al connection between said platform and said members slidably mounted in said U- shaped members. and reinforcing means for said platform adapted to engage said members guided in said U-shaped members'.

13. A step comprising a pair of arms slidably mounted in suitable bearings, extensions on said arms fo-r supporting a platform, a pivotal connection between said platform and said arms, and a rail engaging plate on said platform adapted toI reinforce said platform and have operativeengagement with said arms to form an additional connection between said platform and arm other than said pivot-al connection.

14.V A locomotive step comprising a platform, arms for supporting' said platform adapted to slide within suitable bearings on a support, reinforcing plates on said platform having recesses therein adapted toreceive and engage portions of said arms to form a connection between said plates and said arms, and a pivotal connection between said platform and said arms. i

15. A locomotive step comprising a platform, arms for supporting said platform adapted to slide within suitable bearings on a support, reinforcing plates on said platform having recesses therein adapted to receive and engage portions of said arms to form a. connection between said plates and said arms, and a pivotal connection between said platform and said arms, said plates and arms having integral line contact bearing surfaces adapted to engage each other within said recesses.

16. A locomotive step comprising a platform, arms for supporting said platfo-rm adapted to slide within suitable bearings on a support, reinforcingL plates on said platform having recesses therein adapted to receive and engage portions of said arms tol form a connection between said plates and said arms, a pivotal connect-ion between said plat-form and said arms, said plates and arms having bearing surfaces adapted to engage each other, and interengaging means on said bear ing surfaces to prevent substantial lateral movement between 'said arms and said plates.

17. A locomotive'step comprising a platform, arms for supporting said platform adapted to slide within suitable bearings on a support, reinforcing plates on said platform having recesses therein adapted to receive and engage portions of said arms to form connect-ions between said plates and said arms, a pivotal connection between said platform and said arms, said plates and arms having bearing surfaces adapted to engage each other, and interengaging means on said bearing surfaces to prevent substantial lateral movement between said arms and said plates, said in-terengaging means comprising lugs on one of said bearing surfaces adapted to engage within recesses in the other of said bear ing surfaces.

18. A locomotive step comprising a platform, supports for said platform, pivotal connections between said platform and said supports, and plates secured to said platform and adapted to engage said supports, said plates having portions thereof semi-cylindrical 'in shape to form a reinforcing means for said plates.

19. A locomotive step comprising a platform, supports for said platform, pivotal connections between said platform and said supports, and plates secured to said platform and adapted to engage said supports, said plates having portions thereof semi-cylindrical in shape to form a reinforcing means for said plates, said supports and plates having interengaging bearing surfaces adapted to form a pivotal connection between said plates and said supports.

20. In a locomotive step, the combination with a platform, of a supporting member for said platform, a member extending across the underside of said platform and having a portion thereof spaced from said platform for the reception of said supporting member, and a bearing member on said second mentioned member adapted to engage said supporting member when said second mentioned member is engaged by a rail upon derailment of a locomotive to thereby transmit the blow on said second mentioned member to said supporting member instead of to said platform.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification on this 2nd day of January, A. D. 1930.

PATRICK F. CUNNINGHAM. 

